Designer Spotlight: Interview with Gordana Ninkovic

September 7, 2016

Every now and the we feature some of the best designers that work on our platform of crowdsourcing for interior design. In this article we’re featuring Architect Gordana Ninkovic, from Belgrade, Serbia. Click on the images to see her projects on CoContest.

How did you start with architecture? How has your career evolved?

I was born in Belgrade, Serbia, and I`ve graduated on University of Belgrade, Faculty of Architecture., in 2006. Since graduation I have been working with my older sister on interior design projects in my country. I have started doing preliminary design at first, but now I`m doing detailed design, supervision, and have influence on used materials, furniture and accessories. I can say that now I can cover every aspect of design, from initial proposal to finalized works.

Architectural inspiration: Are there any designers/firms you look up to? Any artist or publications that you draw ideas from?

Almost everything. Architecture, graphic design, film, music. But most inspiring are the clients I work for. The exchange of ideas, needs, aspirations. Developing the maximum within constrains (budget, functionality, limitations in space). Nowdays you can find everything on internet. There are so many excellent works in interior design, excellent studios, and excellent ideas anyone can find if they are interested. One of my personal superstar is Patricia Urquiola, from her product design to interior design.

I am not trying to participate in all or most contest. I take a good look on contest documents and wish list, and then I choose. If I think it will be inspiring or it needs to involve a bit more thinking about function, then I usualy participate. Generally it is combination of 1. prize to be won / 2. time to be invested / 3.inspiration, not necessarily in that order ☺

What is criterium in which you choose the furniture?

I am usually listening to the clients wishes, regarding price.

Do you use a data bank for the furniture?

For renderings I am usually using 3ds models from furniture manufacturers sites (if it`s available) and also suggest as furniture product. I am a big fan of B&B Italia. Some manufacturers have (furniture, lighting, etc.) and those who have not should prepare and give designers to freely download……in time it would increase their business……

What would you say is your unique style? How did it develop?

I think I can call my designing style a clean design with some unexpected twist in detail or color or material. Basic has always been functionality and natural colors and materials, which I am trying to upgrade into future interior design that will fulfill the needs of a client.

Participating in many contests is increasing the chance for every designer to put their knowledge into practice, put their work out there, maybe win, and get the first hand response from investor about their work. On CoContest every designer has to do maximum on order to compete and maybe succeed.

How do you think the architecture market is changing in the years to come? What potentials do you see in the Internet expanding a way from customers doing business only with traditional firms?

I think global architectural market will stay the same as it is now.

For small investors who want to get various interior design or reconstruction ideas about renovating apartment, house, some area in apartment, office, etc., this concept of delivering preliminary design is excellent. The question is who and how will follow the development of winning design in practice?

I would like to see possibility for participating designers in one contest to rate also submitted designs, not just clients. I think that would be good input from professional point of view.

And to se some automatic translation (since most of correspondence is in Italian) ☺

Have you seen any projects you admired on Cocontest? If so, which ones and why?

Yes I have. In fact many. Every project that has been thought trough, and answered needs within the limitations. I`m thinking of layouts, because that is the foundation of good project. Functionality. Visualisations can have various quality.

{Content manager of CoContest | Editor of CoContest Magazine}
Saghar, is a visual storyteller, currently focused on design, photography, blogging, and the creation of digital content, where she puts her specializations and experience in graphic design, and web & social media strategy to good use.